Lewis Hamilton says he had to “di🥂g deeper than ever” to snatch a last-gasp pole position for Formula 1’s Monaco Grand Prix.

The reigning world champion had trailed Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas by nearly three-tenths after the opening runs in Q3, but turned in a 1m10.166s on his final flying effort to pip Bottas by jus⛎t 0.086s and deny him a fourth straight pole.

It marked just the second time Hamilton has taken pole in Monaco and the Briton said he felt “amazing” ෴fo🌌llowing a lap he described as “beautiful”.

“This is the race that every driver ✨dreams of as a kid,” Hamilton said.

“It doesn’t matter how many times you come here, it’s still a dreཧam and you still give it everything you’ve got.

“All the guys have worked tirelessly, back at the factory so we’ve arrived wi♕th a great car. I🌳t was a great battle with Valtteri. He’s been quick all weekend and all races up to now.

“Just the desire and t🌳he 𓆉will to get this pole - it means so much to me,” he added.

“I had to dig deeper than ever. So glad I can get that deep. That lap was beautiful. I feel amazing𒁏.”

Hamilton said he had to take his car to the limit in order to secureꦏ his s✅econd pole of the season and the 85th of his career.

“We have a great package, what people need to realise, all of us ✤drivers, we take whatever car we have, fast or slow, we take it to limit,” he explained.

“When you hit the limit, it’s like wrestling a bull, or whatever you want to say it is, it’s out of control the whole time, so it’s trying to balance it aꦑnd react at the right times.

“That lap was hard, I had a oversteer moment at Rasscasse and I 🦋just managed to pull it off.

“I lost a bit in the last corner,💮 but still I was coming across the line hoping that one millisecond, hope i𝔉t makes a difference. I don’t know what the gap is but I’ll take it. It’s perfect.”

“THAT’S WHAT I’M TALKING ABOUT! YES!!”

— Mercedes-AMG F1 (@MercedesAMGF1)